Early detection and avoidance of mainframe job errors

A system includes a memory and a processor configured to receive a request to process a primary mainframe job and extract information related to the primary mainframe job, wherein the extracted information includes one or more of data files, file attributes and database tables needed to process the primary mainframe job. The processor detects that one or more of the files, the file attributes and the database tables is unavailable, and in response, places the primary mainframe job on hold. The processor monitors availability of the one or more unavailable files, file attributes or database tables and in response to detecting that the one or more unavailable files, file attributes or database tables is available, processes the primary mainframe job.